Press Releases and Statements

WASHINGTON, DC—Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, (TTD) issued this statement following President Obama’s acceleration of several important infrastructure projects, including five major U.S. ports: “President Obama’s decision to expedite infrastructure projects at five major seaports is good news for Americans still looking for work and for a transportation network sorely in […]

WASHINGTON, DC— Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) issued this statement on the defeat, 83-323, of the Broun Motion to Instruct conferees on the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012 (H.R.4348): “An overwhelming House majority today rejected a motion that would have done serious damage to our nation’s transportation system and […]

WASHINGTON, DC—The House Homeland Security Committee today approved needed reforms to the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program that would eliminate financial and logistical burdens faced by transportation workers under this federal security program. The Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) supports language in the Securing Maritime Activities through Risk-based Targeting Act, known as the SMART […]

WASHINGTON, DC—Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issued this statement in response to the May jobs report released today. “The May jobs figures released today are disappointing for millions of unemployed Americans.  Lawmakers in Washington must stop stonewalling jobs creating initiatives and then pointing fingers at the President for not doing […]

WASHINGTON, DC— Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) issued this statement to commemorate National Maritime Day: “As we celebrate the 79th National Maritime Day in the U.S., we express our gratitude to the nation’s skilled maritime and longshore workers who endure hardships and make sacrifices to keep cargo and people moving […]

WASHINGTON, DC— Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) President Edward Wytkind issued this statement in support of Rep. Nick Rahall’s (D-WV) Motion to Instruct Conferees on the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012 (H.R.4348): “Transportation labor wholeheartedly endorses a Motion to Instruct Conferees by Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV) that will boost the U.S. manufacturing sector and […]

WASHINGTON, DC—Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) President Edward Wytkind issued this statement following TTD’s submission of comments to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration pertaining to the in-flight transport of lithium cells and batteries (Docket No. PHMSA-2009-0095 (HM-224F)): “Fire is the most serious threat to an aircraft in flight, especially when it is due […]

WASHINGTON, DC— Edward Wytkind (@EdWytkind), president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issued this statement following the decision by Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) to squander a chance to boost domestic manufacturing in the selection of a rail car supplier: “Today the BART Board gave its stamp of approval to a rail car manufacturing […]

WASHINGTON, DC— Edward Wytkind, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issued the following statement ahead of this week’s House-Senate conference on surface transportation reauthorization legislation: “As House and Senate conferees begin negotiations on surface transportation legislation tomorrow, nearly 2 million current jobs, and up to 1 million new jobs, are at stake in […]

WASHINGTON, DC— Edward Wytkind, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issued the following statement in response to passage of the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012 (H.R.4348): “The House of Representatives made the right decision today when it put a myriad of ideological interests aside in favor of moving toward negotiating a jobs-creating, […]